Senior Adelyn Bush has been playing soccer for more than a decade. This sport is one of the many she does to prove to herself that she can do things that seem hard to her, she said.
Adelyn said she plays soccer because she grew up around it, “I want to carry on my passion for soccer,” she said. Her uncles and aunt (on her dad’s side) played in school, and she grew up watching games.
On her mom’s side of the family, she said they would watch her aunt referee the soccer games. They would also go to Penn State women’s soccer games, she said.
“Soccer has always been a key part in my early life and even now too,” she added.
Adelyn said her favorite thing about soccer is the rush of adrenaline she gets when the first kick happens or when the first goal is scored. She said she loves to be in the position mid field, and loves the freedom of movement she gets while playing midfield.
She added that she loves having both the ability to score and defend. She said her hardest game was against Central Columbia last Oct. 17 when her team lost. While playing Central Columbia, she said she thought that the way they play was so seamless, like it was almost a second nature to them and that they all played as one unit.
This year on Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. the high school girls’ soccer team is having a rematch with Central Columbia. The team plans to, “pull out that victory that we couldn’t find in past years,” she said.
Adelyn said she finds her motivation is through her teammates and family members, but there is one more thing, her having the drive to play the game. Having the adrenaline rushing throughout her body and mind is what makes her want to play, she said.
Adelyn said she looks up to a few professional players but one really stands out to her– Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, from Brazil. “Whenever he is on the field his movements keep the game interesting,” she said.
If Adelyn ever had the chance to play professionally, she said she would. “Maybe my reason is to inspire another kid to keep playing,” she added. She plans to continue this sport after school and her reasons why is because it’s her passion, soccer it’s what she loves, and she wants to play as much as she can.
Adelyn also participates in track and field, cross country and wrestling.
She began wrestling when her soccer coach told her she should look into it. After that first week, “I became addicted to the thrill of stepping on the line across from your opponent,” she said. She said she loves how demanding but very rewarding it is. At first, she didn’t think she would like wrestling, but she said she is going on her fourth year of it.
Dance has also been a key part in her early life as well as now, she said. Adelyn said got into dance when she was three. “A life without dancing is like a life with no meaning to me,” she explained.
She has also been on the track team throughout high school. While she said she doesn’t enjoy the running, she does it to prove she can do more than what people think she is capable of. She added that she loves the thrill of being head-to-head with someone and the feeling of competing with them.
Cross country is something new she joined this year, and she said the team has been very welcoming, even though she only ran twice, “Both times I ran I did it for the group of girls that were ecstatic to see the large number of girls that had come out to run this year,” she added.
Adelyn said she plans to play soccer in college but also would consider wrestling. She has not picked a college yet, but said she is planning on attending not just for the academics but for sports. She added that her career goal is to be a large animal veterinarian.
Milton Soccer Coach Rod Harris has been coaching her for four years, “She is a super hard worker and great kid overall,” he said.
If he had to describe Adelyn in one word. Coach Harris said it would be “intense.” “Everything she does, she does it at 150 percent,” he added.
“Adelyn is a TEAM player and has her teammates backs at all times. She works really hard and gives you everything she has, She never holds anything back,” he said.
